MONTGOMERY, Ala. (WAKA) — The Montgomery City Council held a budget hearing Tuesday to review the city’s largest-ever proposed budget, a $353.2 million plan that includes raises for employees, infrastructure upgrades and new public safety initiatives.
Council members spent several hours combing through more than 40 pages of departmental funding information. The proposal includes merit raises for all city employees, a replacement of the Police Department’s outdated communications system, and nearly $8 million for the city’s new sports and entertainment department.
One key discussion centered on the Fire Department, which answers more than 120 calls daily. A proposed 10% raise for firefighters would cost $4.2 million. Reallocating unused funds from the Police Department’s budget to the Fire Department’s budget is a possible solution…